Where should one draw the line between tradition (family, academia, religion, established rule) and self-trust (personal independence, “progressive” learning, social/civil disobedience)?
Head versus Heart – again!
Again, an elemental conflict: what about balance?
What is the most important lesson you should learn from this movie; what thoughts should you take away?
Plot: Tabulation of scenes:
First day of school, ceremony to welcome the entering class and new transfer students (e.g., Todd Anderson)
Dormitory scene: in Neil and Todd's room: the friends get together; Todd is introduced to Cameron, Knox, Charlie, and Meeks
Mr. Perry enters and tells Neil to withdraw from the "annual"; Perry admonishes Neil for "disputing [him] in public"
Scenes of "normal" school life:
Chemistry class, Latin class, Trigonometry class: these scenes show what traditional teaching is like, the kind which is characterized by order, discipline, and hard work; to be contrasted with Keating's unconventional way of teaching
First English class: Keating takes his students to the common area to look at the murals; he encourages them with the dictum, "Carpe Diem," meaning "Seize the Day"
Knox visits the Danburrys'; meets Chris Noel for the first time, and is captivated by her great beauty
Keating's class: Keating teaches poetry in an untraditional way; he asks his students to rip out the first chapter of their poetry book. He says: "We don't read and write poetry because it is cute; we read and write poetry because we are members of the human race, and the human race is full of passion."
High-table lunch: McAllister talks to Keating, and warns him of the danger of this "progressive" way of teaching
Neil finds the senior annual in the library, shows it to his friends and becomes interested in the "Dead Poets Society" (DPS)
After lunch, the boys ask Keating about DPS
During study time, the boys plan their trip to the Indian Cave
They embark on the trip after dark, spend a night there reading poetry, and return to campus at dawn
English class: Keating urges his students to stand on his desk so that they can look at things from a different perspective; Keating then gives an assignment, which requires students to write a poem
Dormitory: Todd is trying to write his poem when Neil enters; he tells his roommate that he is going to enter an audition for a part in a Shakespearean play
Knox goes to see Chris perform in a cheering show
Football practice: Keating incorporates poetry into sports: participants are to read a line from a poem and then kick the ball
Neil returns to the dorm elated; he has just been given the part "Puck" in A Midsummer Night's Dream; he sits down to write a "fake" letter to Nolan
English class: The boys read their poems; Todd admits that he hasn't done his homework, but Keating doesn't excuse him from performing; Keating encourages Todd to shed his inhibitions and to come forward to express himself
Members of DPS gather at the Indian Cave; Knox is determined to contact Chris; he returns to the dorm to call her; Chris invites Knox to a party
English class: Keating asks his class to march around the courtyard; the moral of the exercise is: the danger of conformity, and the difficulty of maintaining one's own belief in the face of peer and social pressure
Todd sits outside the school building alone; he has just received a present from his parents, the same desk set he got last year for his birthday; Neil encourages him
DPS gathering; Charlie brings two girls; he announces to the group that he has published an article in the school paper urging the school to admit women; he has used DPS as his byline
Knox goes to Chris' party; in the midst of confusion, he tries to kiss Chris, and is knocked down by Chet
Nolan calls an emergency meeting; Charlie says there is a phone call from God
Nolan talks to Keating in an attempt to find out what has instigated the boys to resurrect DPS
Neil goes to rehearsal
Knox goes to Chris' school and presents her with a poem, causing her to be totally flabbergasted
Neil's father discovers the "fake" letter that Neil has written to Nolan, and forbids Neil to perform in the play
Neil goes to seek advice from Keating
Neil tells Keating the next day that he has talked to his father; he says that his father agrees to let him perform in the play, but he has to give up acting after that night
The whole gang is on its way to see A Midsummer Night's Dream when Chris shows up; Knox persuades Chris to go to the play with him; she agrees
Neil's father arrives at the theatre at the end of the performance and takes Neil home; Neil commits suicide that night
At Neil's funeral, Nolan pledges to conduct an investigation into DPS, which, he believes, is directly linked to Neil's death
Cameron tells Nolan about DPS
The boys are summoned, one by one, to see Nolan and to sign a document admitting that they have participated in DPS and that Keating is responsible for their "wayward" behaviour
Keating is fired
Nolan takes over Keating's class
Keating comes to collect his personal belongings; the boys salute him as he leaves
There is an unexpected death in the film. Think about what views or prejudices influenced the death, and how these views are the OPPOSITE of Transcendental views and philosophies. (List two examples)
Opposite of T views:
Neil allows the male-dominated, conformist, traditionalist way of approaching the world override his heart/his self-trust, leading to ultimate disaster and tragedy.
- Again, an elemental conflict: what about balance?
- What is the most important lesson you should learn from this movie; what thoughts should you take away?
Plot: Tabulation of scenes:Opposite of T views: